Using instructional techniques, rehab interventions seek to maximize the potential for independent living for individuals who have suffered insults (or diseases), injuries to the central or peripheral nervous system, or other abnormalities of the neuromuscular system. In prior art these instructional techniques required that individuals present themselves to a caregiver (rehab provider) to receive and train in order to recover neuromuscular functionality. Various studies show that the individuals who are able to physically present themselves to a rehab provider are a minority compared to those who require such care. A vast majority of such individuals are confined to a home setting and lack the support structure to travel to a caregiver in order to receive rehab therapies.
The measurement, recording, and study of the intrinsic properties of skeletal muscles, or electromyography (EMG), has been used for over 100 years as a diagnostic modality in order to determine the nature of muscle dysfunction either as a result of injury to the nervous system or abnormality of muscle structure. In addition to diagnostics, EMG is also used as a therapeutic modality.
Research has shown that due to neural plasticity, the healthy parts of the brain gain the ability to perform functions lost due to neurological insults and injury, by repeated training through physical exercises. This is analogous to the experiment performed by the Russian scientist—Pavlov. Pavlov demonstrated that his dog could be trained by ringing the bell and presenting a bone to the dog. After repeated training, the dog salivates on hearing the bell—without a bone in front. This is called conditioned reflex wherein the dog is trained to correlate the ringing of a bell to the presence of a bone. In neuroscience parlance, this is referred to as instrumental conditioning.
The system of present invention works on a similar principle. A target is set for the patient on a computer screen such that the patient expends effort to bring the effort graph to coincide or reach the target point (or target graph) set by a healthcare professional—for example, a physical therapist or a occupational therapist.
There are a number of existing rehabilitation systems (computer based) that employ EMG towards a therapeutic modality for rehabilitation of neuromuscular conditions.
The existing rehabilitation systems (computer based) can be classified into EMG monitors, neuro-robotic rehab devices, functional electric simulation devices, and motion sensing rehab systems. These devices are typically expensive and are not designed for patient's ease of use in a home setting. Furthermore, these devices currently do not support predictive analysis by examining a) patient's history, b) comparing data of similar patients with similar prognosis, either in its own repository or publicly available data under such sites as Healthvault, and such other data and future data available from sites such as CMS (center for Medicare and Medicaid Service)
Existing rehabilitation systems are therefore limited in scope with respect to efficacy and personalization to a patient's unique condition. Furthermore, existing systems are expensive and don't lend themselves to ease of use in a patient's home setting.
The system of present invention addresses these issues through a method for determining the rehab protocol and behavior shaping target by leveraging patient's physiologic measures, and data available from other sources.